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Figure 1.1 - Oral Language (2022). Find our more about Oral Language on the Heinemann Blog. 

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Oral language can be defined as a system in which people communicate their ideas, feelings, and knowledge. It is sometimes referred to as "spoken language". Developing a child's oral language is crucial for the development of literacy in listening and speaking -- and the following skills are strongly correlated with reading and writing. At its core, oral language is composed of 5 key components: phonological skills, pragmatics, syntax, morphological skills, and vocabulary. These components of oral language are essential towards learning through communication and social interaction.

Citations:
Audet, L. (n.d.). What Is Oral Language? Heinemann Blog. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://blog.heinemann.com/what-is-oral-language#:%7E:text=Oral%20language%20is%20the%20system,reading%20comprehension%20and%20to%20writing.

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Figure 1.2 Application of Oral Language (2022) - Find out more about engagement at the Learning Sciences International. 

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Oral language has two skills -- listening and speaking. Both of which are essential for a child's learning and thinking development. According to Fisher & Frey (2014),

"decades of research and personal experiences confirm that listening comprehension surpasses reading comprehension starting from early child development on to at least middle school".

It is recommended that 50% of a child's classroom instruction in content area learning to be dedicated to collaborative conversations among peers, in which they are provided an opportunity to display their academic language skills.

Fisher & Frey introduce several methods in which teachers can implement collaborative conversations through classroom activities. Such activities include but are not limited to listening gallery work, photo narratives, and digital storytelling! Here are some more great examples of evidence-based speaking and listening instructional applications, with descriptions below.

Reader's theater; this allows students to practice reading the script with their peers. Students are either provided with an opportunity to work together as a group to create a script, or they are already assigned a script that is prepared for them. An individual student or a group of students will be expected to present the text for the rest of the class to listen to.

Presentations; are usually an opportunity for students to research a topic and share their findings with the class. Sometimes, students have a chance to present in a small or large group. This is an excellent way to practice their oral language skills, as each student involved is presented with a role to contribute their own findings before the presentation.

Listening stations; students listen to audio recordings of their teacher or someone else reading complex and informational text out loud. Here, students will be provided with a task to answer questions from the teacher after the audio session.

Reciprocal teaching; gives students a chance to read chunks of a given text and take turns with a variety of comprehension strategies such as predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing. Teachers can create note-taking tools that require students to establish and maintain a written record of the conversation after each section in the text.

All the activities listed above are great ways to get students to engage in listening and speaking during class!

Citations:
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2014). Speaking and Listening in Content Area Learning. The Reading Teacher, 68(1), 64–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1296

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Figure 2.1 - Phonological Awareness (2021). Find out more about Phonological Awareness at The Daily Alphabet. 

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Phonological awareness, not to be confused with phonics, is an umbrella term that involves the ability to discriminate and manipulate individual sounds in words regardless of the size of the word. This gives a learner the ability to think about and analyze individual sounds through blending, stretching, and or otherwise changing the words, which is a more complex level of phonological awareness. Research indicates that phonological awareness is strongly correlated with literacy success or difficulty.

Citations:
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2021, December 14). Skills for Early Reading: Phonological Awareness - Evidence Based Early Literacy. Retrieved May 26, 2022, from https://www.doe.mass.edu/massliteracy/skilled-reading/fluent-word-reading/phonological-awareness.html#:%7E:text=Phonological%20awareness%2C%20or%20the%20awareness,through%20third%20grade%20and%20beyond

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Phonological awareness is made of up a group of skills which could include being able to identify rhyming words, phenome segmentation, counting syllables, blending, and deleting phonemes to list a few. Using phonemic awareness, students are able to think about the language spoken and broken up into individual sounds. Teachers can have students manipulate the sound of words, like in cat.

Example:
/C/ /a/ /t/ which is Cat,

take out the 'C' and put in an 'H'

And you get … /H/ /a/ /t/ which is Hat!

In this example, we break apart words to hear what letters make up the word. We also take delete one letter and replace it with another to make a rhyme. These exercises provide students with a more in-depth understanding of what letters and sounds go together to make up a word!

These exercises give students the ability to recognize which words in a set begin with the same letters, or even sound similar (rhyme). Teachers want kids to pick up on the sounds, syllables, and rhymes in the words they hear. It is important that parents of young learners read frequently to them so that they can pick up on these patterns.

Citations:
Johnson, K. (n.d.). Ways to Build Phonological Awareness in Pre-K and Kindergarten. Understood. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/9-ways-to-build-phonological-awareness-in-pre-k-and-kindergarten

Learning At the Primary Pond. (2021, August 29). Phonics vs. Phonemic Awareness vs. Phonological Awareness: What’s the Difference? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLTQZ9taZBo

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Phonics vs. Phonemic Awareness vs. Phonological Awareness: What's the Difference?

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Figure 1.3 - Connecting Oral Language (2017). Learn more at Oral Language Development. 

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The importance of a student's ability to demonstrate success in academia heavily relies on their ability to listen and speak. Oral language is a key component in a child's learning and thinking development. In fact, according to Kirkland & Patterson (2005), teachers can meet the needs of English Language Learners (ELLs) by making oral language a primary focus of instruction. Teachers should do well to search for strategies that properly accommodate their students in preparation for the new school year. One key component in the development of oral language is facilitated through careful planning of the classroom environment.  As the new school year approaches, teachers should consider and adequately prepare to address the needs of all of their students, including students who are labeled ELL's.  Because teachers work with students of many diverse backgrounds, prioritizing oral language is a must if teachers expect to solidify a student's learning, especially in reading and writing. But how can we engage students who have difficulty speaking a dominant language? What oral language strategies are effective in accommodating ELLs who have just arrived from a foreign country?

If we want students to sooner engage and read increasingly complex informational texts, the most logical decision would be to allow students to speak during content area learning (Fisher & Frey, 2014). Developing proficiency in oral language involves building up vocabulary, and understanding grammar and semantics. Oral language can involve a variety of things from an exchange of greetings to initiating, and maintaining conversations and much more (Genesee et al. 2006, p.14). However, there appears to be no proven way to accelerate an ELL's oral English development. Therefore, educators should take the needs of those students who are disproportionately disadvantaged in the classroom and prioritize oral language learning.

Citations:
Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2014). Speaking and Listening in Content Area Learning. The Reading Teacher, 68(1), 64–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1296

Genesee, F., Lindholm-Leary, K., Saunders, B., & Christian, D. (2006). Educating English Language Learners: A Synthesis of Research Evidence. Cambridge University Press.

Kirkland, L. D., & Patterson, J. (2005). Developing Oral Language in Primary Classrooms. Early Childhood Education Journal, 32(6), 391–395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-005-0009-3

Supporting English Language Learners - Oral Language Development. (n.d.). Supporting English Language Learners. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://sites.google.com/erlc.ca/ell/programming/oral-language-development

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Equality, Equity, and Social Justice (2021)

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Oral language is necessary for the learning process of every student. Two skills that are required by students to articulate their thoughts, ideas, questions, and make connections are provided through listening and speaking. But where does oral language begin? Patricia Kuhl (2011) shares astonishing research that suggests that babies are able to discriminate different sounds from all sorts of languages before they are even a year old! This is because babies are doing two things: 1.) they are listening intently to the speaker, 2.) they are doing "statistics" as they listen to the speaker talk in the language they hear. Babies are dubbed "geniuses" at learning and internalizing language according to Kuhl, until the age of 7, when it appears that there is a systematic decline, and it becomes harder for young children to learn new languages.

When a child has not been able to successfully develop the skills necessary for oral language in the classroom, equity and justice call for interventions that will accommodate the student's needs, while not taking away from the other students in the classroom. This means that students who are struggling with early language learning skills can receive the assistance needed while their teachers are able to attend the classroom. Teachers can create an equitable learning space for oral language learning by giving every student exactly what they need to succeed.

Citations:
Kuhl, P. (2011, February 15). The linguistic genius of babies [Video]. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/patricia_kuhl_the_linguistic_genius_of_babies/transcript?language=en

Trainer, S. (2021, September 28). Equality, Equity, and Social Justice [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvoios7frIs&feature=youtu.be

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Figure 2.3 - Phonological Awareness (2021); The importance creating a community by reading aloud to students.

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According to "ELLs and Phonological and Phonemic Awareness" (2015), which is a blog that contains sources for ESOL, the author states that ELLs cannot develop phonological awareness in English until they have familiarized themselves with the sounds of letters in English. This could be due to the fact that phonological awareness is a concept that is difficult for ELLs due to a lack of experience in being able to distinguish sounds that differ from those in their language. It can be confusing for ELLs to distinguish sounds from their native language and English. Teaching ELLs require more time and experience with fun songs, poems, chants, and read-aloud that will help them hear and recreate the sounds they hear in English (Irujo, 2020).

Citations:
Ells and Phonological and Phonemic Awareness : Virtual Learning Network. (2015, March 17). Primary ESOL Online. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://vln.school.nz/blog/view/919229/ells-and-phonological-and-phonemic-awareness#:%7E:text=ELLs%20cannot%20develop%20phonological%20awareness,the%20sound%20patterns%20of%20English.

Irujo, S. (2020, March 4). What Does Research Tell Us About Teaching Reading to English Language Learners? Colorín Colorado. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/what-does-research-tell-us-about-teaching-reading-english-language-learners

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental learning disorder that displays difficulties characterized by problems with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor decoding, and poor spelling abilities (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). It is often defined as a language-based reading disability that impairs oral language development. Children with dyslexia often have problems with the following phonological criteria:

Phonological awareness

Phonological memory

Phonological retrieval

Phonological production

Individuals with dyslexia may also display difficulties in language that extend to vocabulary and grammatical development. Children with these oral impairments are at high risk for problems in reading comprehension (Friedman, 2020). So why is this so important to know? If students are struggling to develop their phonological awareness, then it means that they may be at risk for dyslexia, and it is important for the teacher to observe these risks. In order to create an equitable learning space for students, teachers need to be aware of how they can help students who are struggling with reading disorders like dyslexia or phonological awareness. Young learners cannot become proficient readers if they aren't able to develop their skills through phonological awareness.

Citations:
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-5 [E-book]. American Psychiatric Publishing.

Friedman, M. (2020, April 1). Oral Language Impairments and Dyslexia. International Dyslexia Association. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://dyslexiaida.org/oral-language-impairments-and-dyslexia-2/

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Phonics can be described as a way of helping students learn to read and write. This enables the student to learn through hearing and identifying the sounds they hear in order to distinguish one word from another.

Decoding on the other hand is "the process of translating print into speech by matching a letter or a combination of letters to their sounds and recognizing the patterns that make syllables and words" (Decoding Strategies, n.d.).

Citation:
Decoding Strategies. (n.d.). Reading Horizons. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.readinghorizons.com/reading-strategies/decoding/

What is phonics? (2017, August 17). National Literacy Trust. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://literacytrust.org.uk/information/what-is-literacy/what-phonics/

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Teaching phonics is an important way to help students recognize words independently. Teachers should focus less on the rules or making generalizations when teaching the concept of phonics. Students will require an abundance of time to make meaningful/purposeful connections towards learning the sounds and symbols. Teachers can also assess a student's phonics skills and develop a focus on new material for them to learn that can eventually promote independence. Phonics should be taught in a meaningful context so that it is easily understood by the student. Finally, students benefit from learning patterns more so than rules.

Citation:
Peregoy, S., & Boyle, O. (2016). Reading, Writing and Learning in ESL: A Resource Book for Teaching K-12 English Learners (7th ed.). Pearson.

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Fluency can be defined as "the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper expression"(Fluency, n.d.). In other words, if a student wants to understand what they are reading, fluency is a key component, regardless if a student is reading quietly or out loud.

Citation:
Fluency. (n.d.-a). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/fluency

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Figure 4.2 - Fluency. Learn more about Fluency by watching Introduction: Fluent Reading. 

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Fluency cannot be developed without allowing the student the opportunity to read passages or other miscellaneous text. Some helpful strategies to use in a classroom setting would be to give students the ability to read out loud during ELA time. It may also benefit students if their teachers sit with them to provide an assessment to determine their levels of fluency. The goal is to build the student's ability to read and understand the text with speed and accuracy. There are two instructional methods used to approach fluency.

Guided Reading; enables students to read text orally with "systematic and explicit guidance and feedback" (Reading Rockets, n.d.) from the instructor.

Independent Reading; allows for students to read silently on their own, whether inside or out of the classroom, with little to no feedback.

Both approaches are useful in the development of fluency skills in reading.

Citation:
Fluency. (n.d.-a). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/fluency

Rockets, R. (2014, April 15). Introduction: Fluent Reading [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogi7ANK49wk&feature=youtu.be

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Teaching phonics to ELLs is a crucial step toward learning English. Phonics connects sounds with letters and a combination of letters. This is helpful when trying to build vocabulary. This is especially important for ELLs who are trying to learn the language because they can learn what sounds go with which letters. Phonemes (which are the sounds of letters) are a critical part of the ELLs learning process because this can help them read words through a process in which they connect the sounds of each letter (graphemes) (A World of Language Learners, 2022). Pictures are also a helpful resource for the language learning process, as they can provide ELLs an understanding that a word is through the image. Over time, ELLs can use the information they have from their native language to make connections as they transition to English.

If students want to develop their fluency, they must have an understanding of how to combine letters through sounds to make words. This is an important step for anyone learning how to read, and ELLs can benefit from this.

Citation:
aworldoflanguagelearners. (2022, May 22). Phonics for ELLs. A World of Language Learners. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.aworldoflanguagelearners.com/phonics-for-ells/

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Figure 4.3 - Fluency. Find out more about how to assist ELLs in building their fluency. 

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Instruction in fluency is beneficial for all students, even including English language learners because the activities that are designed to build fluency also help with the development of oral language in English. "When students are reading English text accurately, automatically, and prosodically they are obtaining processing the sounds and cadences in spoken English" (Ford, 2015).

Fluency should be a focus in the classroom, especially when teachers are working with ELLs. This can be done by assessing automaticity, which measures the rate at which a student is reading and the accuracy. For ELLs, it is important to focus on accuracy when they are reading, and this can be provided through guided reading. Teachers can assign the same passage to the student to also build on their speed and comprehension of the material. This can reinforce what the student is reading and help them learn the patterns of sounds and how words are used in  the reading.

Citation:
Ford, K. (2015, December 1). ELLs and Reading Fluency in English. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/ells-and-reading-fluency-english

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Teachers must implement helpful strategies to teach their students how to decipher words through a systematic phonics approach, or students will struggle. It is important that students learn to sound out words in order to pronounce them accurately if they want to learn to read fluently. Teachers need to make an effort to teach their students strategies to say letters or words instead of pushing their students on to a new focus in the classroom (Hancock et al., n.d.).

Students will come into the classroom presenting a variety of experiences in reading. Some students may come in with no comprehension of the language or learning disadvantages. This can present a dilemma for teachers, however, it is the teacher's responsibility to ensure that all of their students are successfully being accommodated within the classroom. Teachers cannot afford to continue with their teaching and ignore the students who are struggling with phonics because this hinders the student's potential to become fluent readers and speakers. It is important that these students continue to be a priority in the classroom to prevent them from falling behind on the material. Having the right resources and curriculum for instructional assistants can help remedy the problem for students, that way teachers can still provide lessons for the rest of their class while the struggling students receive additional support.

Citation:
Hancock, A., U., Robinson, L., & Wiggins, A. (n.d.). The Science of Reading: An Equity Issue, Part I. Unbounded. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from http://www.unbounded.org/blog/the-science-of-reading-an-equity-issue-part-i

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Figure 4.4 - Fluency. Find out more about Fluency at National Center on Improving Literacy. 

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Equity is important in an ELL's fluency journey because we want them to be able to develop comprehension of English. We must assure that all students are receiving the same learning treatment to prevent students' failure. Non-English speaking ELLs especially need the most support here because they are required to transition from one language to the next in school. As they move up to the next grade level, the reading content becomes more demanding, so it is important to assist ELLs and other disadvantaged students who are struggling through guided reading practices that build on their skills and mold them into proficient and accurate readers. Students should be able to achieve fluency through repetitive reading, feedback, and modeling from the teacher (Hasbrouck, 2015).

If teachers expect their students to succeed in class, they must prioritize fluency as a key asset for their reading development. Teachers can also suggest to parents in assisting their children to develop their fluency by having them read and practice reading with them.

Citations:
Hasbrouck, J. (2015, December 1). Developing Fluent Readers. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved June 3, 2022, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/developing-fluent-readers

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Comprehension simply refers to the reader's ability to understand and interpret the text. Comprehension requires that the reader is able to:

1. decode what they are reading
2. make connections using previous knowledge as they read the text
3. are able to think very intently about what they have just read. Reading comprehension is attained when a student has developed the necessary skills to read.

Citation:
Reading Rockets | Comprehension. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 5, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/helping/target/comprehension

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Figure 5.2 - Comprehension. Reading strategies to build reading Comprehension. 

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If students are expected to comprehend what they are reading, teachers will need to model, provide opportunities for practice and give feedback (Strategies for Reading Comprehension, n.d.). In order for students to successfully comprehend the text, they can utilize several strategies for reading comprehension.

Monitoring Comprehension—Students who monitor their comprehension usually understand what they are reading. This can be through evaluating what they do not understand and using helpful strategies to help them better understand the text when they do not.

Metacognition—Refers to a reader who thinks about and has control over reading. They might consider why they are reading the text and question its purpose, monitor what they understand, and try to solve any problems that they may not understand about the text.

Graphic and Semantic Organizers—These can illustrate concepts and relationships between ideas seen in text. This helps students focus on the different structures and helps students organize their writing.

Answering questions—Through asking questions, students are able to have a purpose for reading. It gives students the opportunity to focus on the main idea and think about the text. This is a helpful way to encourage reading comprehension and helps students make connections with prior knowledge as they read. There are four different types of questions according to Reading Rockets (n.d.):

“Right There”

"Think and Search"

"Author and You"

"On your Own"

Generating Questions—Students can become more aware of what they are reading when they learn to ask themselves questions relating to the text.

Recognizing Story Structure—Students typically learn to identify parts of the content which would include the setting, the characters, the events, problems, and resolution (Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension, n.d.).

Summarizing—Students can summarize what is important in the text in their own words. Generally, students will identify the main idea and make connections through the main idea in an attempt to recall what they just read.

It is critical that teachers focus on their student's reading comprehension. Teachers should use direct explanation; that is, they should explain why the strategies help them with comprehension and when they should apply it. Teachers must also demonstrate how to apply the strategies, usually by having students “think aloud” when reading texts that are provided. Guided practices can assist students in how to apply them as well, with the help of the teacher. And finally, as students continue to practice, they will eventually learn how to work independently. It is especially helpful when students can engage in cooperative learning with their peers in order to successfully obtain the reading comprehension skills they need (Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension, n.d.).

Citation:
Seven Strategies to teach Students Text Comprehension. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/seven-strategies-teach-students-text-comprehension

Strategies for Reading Comprehension : Read Naturally, Inc. (n.d.). Read Naturally. Retrieved June 9, 2022, from https://www.readnaturally.com/research/5-components-of-reading/comprehension

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Figure 5.3 - Comprehension. Reading Comprehension Strategies in the Classroom (YouTube). 

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Reading comprehension is a very difficult skill to conquer, especially for ELLs. It is important for ELLs to improve their comprehension skills so that they are able to read accurately and follow the text closely so that they can identify the main ideas or other key concepts in the text (Breiseth, 2019). For ELLs who are just transitioning to the English language, teachers should teach them the basics, like the alphabet, before they are able to read anything at all. ELLs need to master the letters and sounds before they can even attempt to read. When a student has become more proficient in reading, teachers can start allowing students to use outlines, maps, or take notes on what they are reading to get them started on comprehension. It's also important that ELLs focus on asking questions during this progress so that they may make connections with the text using their previous knowledge and experience. As previously mentioned, there are a number of helpful strategies that can help students build their comprehension. Why ELLs should prioritize mastering all the skills that build comprehension is important because they will be able to better adapt of the classroom as they become more effective learners in English. ELLs and other students of various backgrounds benefit from reading comprehension so that they can learn more from the world around them.

Citation:
Breiseth, L. (2019, December 19). Reading Comprehension Strategies for English Language Learners. Colorín Colorado. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.colorincolorado.org/article/reading-comprehension-strategies-english-language-learners#:%7E:text=ELLs%20at%20all%20levels%20of,and%20concepts%20in%20a%20text

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Reading Comprehension Strategies in the Classroom

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Figure 5.4 - Comprehension. Scaffolding Strategies to build comprehension.

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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A teacher's goal should be for ALL students to comprehend what they are reading so that they may benefit later in life. Students who can comprehend text will become successful in reading, will have the appropriate skills, and will learn how to love and appreciate what they are reading. If students are struggling with comprehending text, teachers should accommodate their student's needs in reading. Teachers should not lower their expectations of a child's learning, nor should they expect everyone to be on the same level of reading (Jiban, 2020). A child who is struggling with comprehension will need the extra push in order for them to understand exactly what the text is trying to tell them. Rather than put a child at a lower reading level, teachers can make extra time for struggling students and provide them with more guided practices and get children to ask themselves what the text is actually trying to say. It is important for teachers to understand that every child comprehends at their own pace, therefore, a teacher must scaffold according to a student's needs. Teachers can also provide their assigned instructional assistants with the necessary tools to help the student achieve comprehensive success.

Citations:
Jiban, C. (2020, June 25). Let’s talk equity: Reading levels, scaffolds, and grade-level text. Teach. Learn. Grow. Retrieved June 10, 2022, from https://www.nwea.org/blog/2020/equity-in-reading-levels-scaffolds-and-grade-level-text/

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Figure 6.1 - Vocabulary. Vocabulary Challenge for English Learners: Write a Story Using Our Words of the Day

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Vocabulary can be defined as words that we learn to comprehend what we are listening to and reading. Essentially it is the knowledge of words, and it involves knowing their meaning, use, and connection to other words. Learning vocabulary is a powerful way of getting students to develop their language skills.  Vocabulary" is a continual process of language and literacy development that occurs in the early years of a child's life and continues through schooling and beyond" (Vocabulary, 2021).

Citation:
Vocabulary. (2021, September 14). Education and Training. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/english/literacy/readingviewing/Pages/litfocusvocab.aspx#:%7E:text=%E2%80%8BVocabulary%20is%20an%20important,(word%2Fsemantic%20relationships).

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E.L.L. students are invited to write a 50-word story using our recent vocabulary words. Send us yours by Jan. 31.

Note: Winners of the November Vocabulary Challenge are announced at the bottom of this post.
When you hear the words jostle, replenish and debris, does a story come to mind?

We want to read 50-word stories in which students incorporate some of the Words of the Day we published in December. We will publish our favorite submissions as examples for the March challenge.

While English language learners are encouraged to enter all of our vocabulary challenges, the one this month is a special opportunity open only to middle and high school students who are emerging writers, readers and speakers of English.

Any student who is currently working toward English proficiency is eligible, including students in E.L.L. and E.S.L. classes or programs. Find more information about eligibility below, and email LNFeedback@nytimes.com if you have questions.

All other students are still eligible to enter our Vocabulary Video Challenge, which is open until Jan. 12, as well as any of our other monthly vocabulary challenges.

Start by getting familiar with the vocabulary words published in December. Next, create a 50-word piece of writing in which you use some of the vocabulary words. You can write a whole story around one word or include a few.

Submit your story by commenting on this post between now and Jan. 31. Here is what we are looking for:

It is most important that you use each vocabulary word correctly according to its definition.

We are looking for entries that demonstrate your understanding of the vocabulary word or words you choose.

We are looking for pieces of writing that are creative and original.

Your piece of writing should draw from the words below. Each one links to a Word of the Day post that includes the definition of the word and an example of how it has been used in The New York Times. To find more usage examples, consult the Vocabulary.com online dictionary.
replenish

Your story must be 50 words or fewer and use at least one of the listed vocabulary words.

Identify your vocabulary words by writing them in ALL CAPS. (See the bottom of this post for examples.)

Submit your entry as a comment on this post by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on Jan. 31.

It is acceptable to use a word in a different tense or to use the plural of a word that is listed in the singular.

Eligibility: Students in E.L.L., E.S.L., E.S.O.L., E.A.L. and E.F.L. classes or programs are eligible, as well as any student who is currently working toward English proficiency. Email LNFeedback@nytimes.com if you have questions.

Minimum Age Requirements: Middle and high school students ages 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, can submit by commenting on this post. Teachers and parents can submit on behalf of students in middle or high school who do not meet these age requirements. If you are submitting on behalf of a student, please include the student's name at the bottom of the comment.

Please submit only one story per student. You cannot edit your comment once it has been submitted.

inevitable
auspicious
bane
subside
vigilant
jut
debris
terse
pristine
jostle
copious
avert
verbiage
tabula rasa
milieu
beset
Congratulations to the winners of our November challenge, who excelled at using each vocabulary word accurately according to its definition. In addition to the winners included below, we want to give honorable mentions to Sofía from Kuwait, who wrote a memorable homage to Freddie Mercury, and Nissan from Dallas, whose story was a thriller.

Lincoln Gonzalez, age 14, South Miami Middle Community School, South Miami, Fla.

A while back, at my ALMA MATER, I was in a heated debate with a friend of mine. It was over something stupid; I can't remember VERBATIM. He was so FERVID about it; he almost exploded with passion. I finally ALLAYED the situation, and we apologized profusely. We're still friends today!

Kate Rowberry, age 17, Granite Bay High School, Granite Bay, Calif.

MEANDERING through the vegetable aisle, I encountered my DOPPELGÄNGER looking at the bell peppers. To ALLAY the awkwardness, I HASTENED past her, but we INADVERTENTLY got in the same checkout line. My LUGUBRIOUS look-alike turned to me and said VERBATIM, "You look like my twin sister who passed away recently."

Sarah Pierson, age 15, Hoggard High School, Wilmington, N.C.

My head was down as I MEANDERED through the streets. Bonk! I INADVERTENTLY ran into someone! I HASTENED my step. Don't turn around, don't turn around. I turned around. I was met with the FERVID glare of an old man. I cowered before running away, never turning back.

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Vocabulary Challenge for English Learners: Write a Story Using Our Words of the Day

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E.L.L. students are invited to write a 50-word story using our recent vocabulary words. Send us yours by Jan. 31. Note: Winners of the November Vocabulary Challenge are announced at the bottom of this post. When you hear the words jostle, replenish and debris, does a story come to mind?

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Figure 6.2 - Vocabulary. Classroom Strategy: List-Group-Label

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Applying vocabulary in the classroom can consist of a list of words that are related to a specific topic. Teachers can take the list of words and begin by grouping them together. The group of words can be connected by something they share in common. Finally, adding headers to the groups can help model where words are placed. This is a perfect visual for students to make  connections with the words in each group. It is important for the teacher to both guide and then allow their students to walk independently. This creates student-guided learning where they are able to discover what words mean amongst their peers.

Citation:
Rockets, R. [Reading Rockets]. (2011, July 1). Classroom Strategy: List-Group-Label [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLLxDwKxHx1yJUpXMVaifE1Ord_4J4ai0k&v=K731qicwYcY&feature=youtu.be

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Connection / Importance in an ESOL Intervention:

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Connection / Importance in an ESOL Intervention:

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Learning vocabulary is an important component of reading comprehension. When a student learns more words, their understanding of the text also increases. Learning vocabulary is especially essential to ELLs because in order to build on their language, they must continue to build on their vocabulary. Vocabulary building is a process that begins with reading, and the more that an ELL read, the more they learn. Most vocabulary instruction will require careful consideration and planning if a teacher expects success from their student. Teachers should decide on vocabulary that they believe is most essential for an ELL to know (Vocabulary Development for ELLs, n.d.).

Citation:
Vocabulary Development for ELLs. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/article/vocabulary-development-ells

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Teaching vocabulary replies on equity and social justice because many students are faced with the task of developing their oral, reading, and writing skills. ELLs will often be expected to learn English through the practice of new vocabulary. The vocabulary that is introduced to a student will guide their understanding of reading. The more word a student comprehends, the more they can connect the meaning in the text. Learning vocabulary can put students at an advantage. According to Rasinski (2019), "a linguistically advantaged student may have learned over 40,000 words in their oral and reading vocabularies. Students who are disadvantaged only know half of the words”.

ELLs who live in poverty may lack access to the resources to help them develop their language skills. For instance, having no access to a computer in order for the student to utilize a program to help them develop their vocabulary can contribute to the problem. It is imperative that teachers focus on students who may be at a disadvantage if they expect them to succeed. ELLs especially might not feel as motivated to learn the language if they don't have ways to support their language learning needs at home. Teachers should be prepared to provide the tools necessary to allow their students to succeed in the academic environment.

Citation:
Rasinski, T., PhD. (2019, August 8). Why Vocabulary Matters. Learning A-Z. Retrieved June 17, 2022, from https://www.learninga-z.com/site/breakroom/why-vocabulary-matters#:%7E:text=Vocabulary%20matters%20because%20readers%20can,on%20building%20blocks%20of%20vocabulary.

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Writing can be defined as a complex process that relies on a number of things from high-order thinking, to comprehension of text genre, syntax, and voice. It also demonstrates organized and basic mechanical skills which include spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and abbreviation. Writing is a fundamental part of a student's learning because it requires students to utilize the language they are learning and think about how they want to structure words with the intention to make them comprehensible for others to read.

Citation:
Writing - Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 18, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading-basics/writing

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Writing is a skill that is taught to children at a young age. Children learn to write symbols and express their thoughts through pictures at first. Once children begin to learn to read and develop their oral skills, their writing also evolves into a "string of letters" that convey comprehensible meanings. Teachers need to provide a "systematic/explicit form of instruction as well as opportunities for them to write and receive feedback" (Writing: Introduction, n.d.).

For students to develop their writing, the following skills are required:

- Basic Writing Skills—This means that students should understand capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, and how to handwrite and keyboard.
— Generating Text—This skill involves knowing how to put thoughts into words. This also includes careful consideration of how to structure words and elaborate to clarify their meaning.
- Planning and Editing—Planning and revising text is most certainly an important aspect of writing. If students want to become better writers, they must always refine their own work.
- Writing Knowledge—This skill involves understanding "discourse and genre". Students are writing their papers intended for an audience, so students must know how to convey their meaning to people who will read their work.

These skills are necessary for the student if they want to become better writers. Students will need to practice coordinating these skills. Explicit and sequential instruction will contribute to their ability to learn how to write, just the same as in reading.

Citation:
Writing: Introduction—Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Reading Rockets. Retrieved June 18, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/teaching/reading101-course/modules/writing-introduction

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Connection / Importance in an ESOL Intervention:

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Connection / Importance in an ESOL Intervention:

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ELLs are required to improve their reading and writing skills if they want to have academic success in the classroom. ELLs who practice their skills in reading and writing are more likely to participate in society, as opposed to ELLs or other students who drop out of school. Writing is important in a classroom setting, especially for ELLs because it improves communication skills. Writing is another way to express our thoughts and feelings, so when a student learns to improve on their writing, it will become easier to convey their words and make them clear to the reader. ELLs benefit greatly from these skills because they will make their transition from their native language to the English language much easier. An ELL gains more from practicing their writing because they are able to see how sentences are supposed to be structured, where periods and commas go, and so forth. Writing also reinforces their understanding of the English language as well (How to Teach Writing, 2019). ELLs can also use writing as a way to organize their ideas.

Citations:
How to Teach Writing to ESL Students. (2019, April 22). Off2Class. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.off2class.com/how-to-teach-writing-to-esl-students/#:%7E:text=Other%20great%20reasons%20to%20teach,that%20helps%20learners%20learn%20better.

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Importance to Equity and Justice for ALL Learners:

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Writing is important to Equity and Justice for all learners because it is the crux to understanding and language learning. Good teachers provide excellent instruction to their students so that they can appreciate writing rather than hate it. Teachers also place great importance on the voice of every student in their classroom because teachers know and understand that everyone has something new and interesting to contribute. Writing is a skill that can be taught well, and teachers can use equitable practices to help students write outstanding pieces for their intended audiences. Teachers should be willing to allow students to have creative freedom by asking open-ended questions and giving students ample time to express their ideas (Patel, 2021). Cooperative strategies can also contribute to good learning because students are granted an opportunity to contribute their own thoughts and feelings to their classmates. This also means that everyone gets a chance to share their ideas. Structure and predictability in writing are also important because students get their daily practice in writing, which is crucial for them in order to build on their skills (Patel, 2021). It also allows for students to take risks! Allowing students to explore their creative imaginations is what makes learning writing more intrinsic and exciting for them. Students also get a chance to explore their inner voice and identity. Another way teachers can create an equitable learning environment is by supporting their students through the process of demonstration - that is, they should model what writing should be. Teachers can demonstrate how students should utilize writing in ways that allow for a student to explore their ideas and feelings. Teachers should remind students that writing is a process that enables the writer with a voice to express their deepest feelings.

Citation:
Patel, P. (2021, November 4). Facing the Shadows, Moving Toward Grace: Best Practices for Equity in Writing Instruction. Center for the Collaborative Classroom. Retrieved June 24, 2022, from https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/blog/best-practices-for-equity-in-writing-instruction/